The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased moderately last week, suggesting that the labor market continued to steadily cool.Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 9,

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 216,000 claims for the latest week. Claims have retreated from the near 1-1/2-year high seen in early October, which was the result of hurricanes and strikes at Boeing BA.N and another aerospace company.